motorhome or caravan

[brian_374224204]

thinking of wintering in spain next year,we tour at the moment in a swift 500 caravan,just wonder if anyone has advise on wintering in spain,is a caravan or a motorhome better for travelling to spain and staying for 3 months.Have been caravaning for 20 years,but would like to try a motorhome, going to the york show to have a good look around some motorhomes,any advise welcome

 

[Dave_5113461]

Hi Brian

Can't say much about wintering in Spain but have just gone from caravan to 6 berth motorhome.

Postitives:

Easier to drive, overtaking is now easy.

you can overnight in dedicated motorhome parking areas (Aires)some with electric and water.

We found the fridge/freezer in the MH much more efficient as if you have an auto type fridge it switches on to gas when you stop and even on 12v keeps nice and cold.

Disadvantages.

You have to pack up to an extent if you want to go out in the van, but providing you don't buy a too big a van you'll find it no problem driving to supermarkets etc.

Dave

 

[JamesFrance]

Hi Brian,

We are just changing to a caravan from a motorhome, after 20 years of those, the last 12 wintering mainly in Spain. The reason is really because we don't want two vehicles now we don't have far to travel and our Motorhome was UK registered so had to go, as we are now resident in France.

For travelling, a motorhome is great to drive. In Spain a caravan is restricted to 80 kph on motorways which is a drag.

If you are touring I think the motorhome would be best, but if staying on one site, the caravan would give you use of the car.

It is very risky to leave a motorhome parked in Spain off site, so someone really needs to stay with it if you go shopping or whatever.

I reckon that the proportion on Spanish sites in the winter is about half and half, so a lot depends on what you do with it the rest of the year. Quite a few motorhomes tow cars, but legally this is a grey area and cars on trailers are becoming more popular now.

James

 

[Guest]

We have done both caravan (with family) moved on to coachbuilt motorhome, (again with family) and now gone back to caravan (no family anymore). There are advantages and disadvantages with both but the main factors influencing our recent choice were:

1. Cost

The cost of a motorhome is very high and we were not prepared to use all our savings in that direction. We also already had a suitable tow vehicle. In addition you may need to buy a car as a runabout and this will add to the costs again. It is argued that depreciation of a motorhome is lower than a car, and this is true. But in percentage terms of the amount of money you will need to handover to make an exchange for a new vehicle, there is little difference. You are just working much larger numbers with motorhomes.

2. Space

There is far more free space in a caravan as motorhomes have to take into account the cab. They are also trying these days to cram too much equipment into the available space and you can often just end up with a small passage down the middle. Both caravans and motorhomes can be fitted with spacious awnings which does help, especially in the sunnier climes. Bed sizes are usually bigger in caravans for the same reasons.

3. Fuel & Toll Costs.

This is more applicable in Europe. Yes the diesel in Europe is much cheaper than here but this is usually only in supermarkets. These are starting to fit very narrow access lanes, and even height barriers so coachbuilts can often be excluded, although they are not the primary target. In additon many motorhomes are only getting mid 20's for fuel consumption. Many tuggers wil claim at least that using diesel cars. Motorhomes also get penalised on French Toll roads as a Class 3 vehicle. Caravans are only Class 2.

At the end of the day it is a factor of your lifestyle and of course, your own choice.

 

[JamesFrance]

We have done both caravan (with family) moved on to coachbuilt motorhome, (again with family) and now gone back to caravan (no family anymore). There are advantages and disadvantages with both but the main factors influencing our recent choice were:

1. Cost

The cost of a motorhome is very high and we were not prepared to use all our savings in that direction. We also already had a suitable tow vehicle. In addition you may need to buy a car as a runabout and this will add to the costs again. It is argued that depreciation of a motorhome is lower than a car, and this is true. But in percentage terms of the amount of money you will need to handover to make an exchange for a new vehicle, there is little difference. You are just working much larger numbers with motorhomes.

2. Space

There is far more free space in a caravan as motorhomes have to take into account the cab. They are also trying these days to cram too much equipment into the available space and you can often just end up with a small passage down the middle. Both caravans and motorhomes can be fitted with spacious awnings which does help, especially in the sunnier climes. Bed sizes are usually bigger in caravans for the same reasons.

3. Fuel & Toll Costs.

This is more applicable in Europe. Yes the diesel in Europe is much cheaper than here but this is usually only in supermarkets. These are starting to fit very narrow access lanes, and even height barriers so coachbuilts can often be excluded, although they are not the primary target. In additon many motorhomes are only getting mid 20's for fuel consumption. Many tuggers wil claim at least that using diesel cars. Motorhomes also get penalised on French Toll roads as a Class 3 vehicle. Caravans are only Class 2.

At the end of the day it is a factor of your lifestyle and of course, your own choice.

A motorcaravan is in Class 2 for Autoroutes unless over 3500 Kilos PTAC or over 3 metres in height.

 

[Damien_5040245]

We have done both caravan (with family) moved on to coachbuilt motorhome, (again with family) and now gone back to caravan (no family anymore). There are advantages and disadvantages with both but the main factors influencing our recent choice were:

1. Cost

The cost of a motorhome is very high and we were not prepared to use all our savings in that direction. We also already had a suitable tow vehicle. In addition you may need to buy a car as a runabout and this will add to the costs again. It is argued that depreciation of a motorhome is lower than a car, and this is true. But in percentage terms of the amount of money you will need to handover to make an exchange for a new vehicle, there is little difference. You are just working much larger numbers with motorhomes.

2. Space

There is far more free space in a caravan as motorhomes have to take into account the cab. They are also trying these days to cram too much equipment into the available space and you can often just end up with a small passage down the middle. Both caravans and motorhomes can be fitted with spacious awnings which does help, especially in the sunnier climes. Bed sizes are usually bigger in caravans for the same reasons.

3. Fuel & Toll Costs.

This is more applicable in Europe. Yes the diesel in Europe is much cheaper than here but this is usually only in supermarkets. These are starting to fit very narrow access lanes, and even height barriers so coachbuilts can often be excluded, although they are not the primary target. In additon many motorhomes are only getting mid 20's for fuel consumption. Many tuggers wil claim at least that using diesel cars. Motorhomes also get penalised on French Toll roads as a Class 3 vehicle. Caravans are only Class 2.

At the end of the day it is a factor of your lifestyle and of course, your own choice.

I have found these comments useful as I have recently been considering moving from Caravan to Motorhome. I am closer now to a decision to stick with a caravan. I like driving a larger car and provied I buy a good second hand car the costs will be a lot lower than a motorhome. I like the space in my caravan and have yet to see an eqivalent size motor home that was not in the astronomical price bracket. I like the idea of leaving the caravan and using my car when pitched up. The thought of packing everything away each time we move to the shops or day tripping is also influencing my decision to stay with a caravan. Also the cost of fuel when day tripping would be much higher with a motorhome. Yes I like the thought of faster transfer times between sites but I also like the thought of taking my time. I like the idea of just stopping with a motorhome but I think that is more of a romantic idea that practical never mind the safety issues surrounding ad hoc parking up for the night. Onboard movers are getting common-place and these enable one to pitch up etc single handed.I think I will stick with a caravan for now. (Fiddler on the roof syndrome)

Damien

 

[OldBean]

We met a couple on a recent holiday - who had caravanned for twenty years (in various little Sprites). After five years of alternative holidays they'd decided to start again, but gone straight to a motorhome as a replacement. They'd started with a Fiat which they only kept for a year (losing many thousands when part-exchanging it - this was so unreliable. Currently they had a Burstner (can't remember on what body) and had only been using it a couple of years, but said it had spent more time in the garage than they'd been able to use it and had just returned from yet another spell in the repairers. However, after mutual invitations to look around each 'home' they were genuinely shocked by the changes since they'd caravanned - and by the amount of living space we had, compared to them. They also complained about fuel economy, about access to supermarket carparks (not just for fuel) and about their difficulties in accessing some of the smaller roads (particularly where we were in the Cevennes. We did meet another couple (same site) who were towing one of those tiny little cars (don't remember the same) - but surely this defeats the object of a motorhome, which is to get away from towing.